Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 2013-0003-0009   CAS 2013-0003-0009; Rug
Category Textiles
Object Name Rug
Culture Navajo
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. New Mexico
County San Juan
Other Geographic Data Navajo Indian Reservation; Community: Shiprock area
Maker's Name Barbara Benally
Date of Manufacture 1980
Collection Name N/A
Materials Warp: Single ply handspun natural (white) wool; Weft: 2 ply processed natural, carded, and dyed wool; Aniline dyes
Description Rectangular sandpainting style rug woven entirely in plain, weft-faced tapestry technique with non-interlocking joins; Design consists of sandpainting motif from the Beautyway ceremony, showing the four sacred mountains in the center (in the sacred colors of blue, white, yellow, and black) surrounded by four stylized frogs (also in the four sacred colors) alternating with the four sacred plants, namely corn, tobacco, beans, and squash (in this rendition, beans are actually shown twice in lieu of tobacco); Surrounding the entire sandpainting on three sides is a rainbow guardian yei with a white lower body, an elongated blue and coral-colored midsection, and a brown face; The top of the painting which is not protected by the guardian yei is protected by a pair of smaller frogs (1 yellow and 12 black); Entire sandpainting is woven on a plain tan background, framed on all four edges by a plain gray border; Selvage and end cords are white. This rug was awarded a first prize ribbon at the 1980 New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque, NM.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 132.0, Length = 142.0